springgobbler

First let me explain my situation. I have access to my soon to be father-in-laws land and the adjoining properties...roughly 250 acres in all. I have hunted there for the past two seasons and the place is loaded with wildlife....lots of deer, piles of turkeys a few bears, grouse etc.

In all the time I have hunted the property (two deer seasons, two spring gobbler) and all of the scouting, I have only seen 1 nice-sized buck...all the rest are small 6 pts., fork-horns and spikes.

During bow season, there is only myself and three others hunting the area.....rifle season, tresspassers come from all over and follow the 'if its brown, its down' school of thought. They pay no mind to the posted signs...and there is only one CO in the large county, so calling 'to tell' doesn't really work either.

I have been trying to do my part by taking, over the last two seasons, quite a few does and an old beat-up 6pt...but feel like there is something more I can do. I still have one more archery tag to fill this year and was hoping to find a nice buck...but have kind of lost hope...I've been out everyday of the season and have only seen small ones. I think I am going to bite the bullet and invest in the future by taking another doe with my last tag....I passed on three this morning and in hindsight, probably should have lowered the boom on them.

There are large fields which are used for hay and alot of great edge and woodlot habitat with old logging roads interspersed. I am thinking of trying to find some way to create small food plots througout the property. My problem with that is that I have no equipment other than my own man-power to do any type of cultivation...brush clearing etc. There is an old overgrown field that looks like was at one time a crabapple orchard that is in a prime spot...but would require some serious labor to clear the brush (multiflora rose and just 'junk' weeds).

I know I am rambling on here...but am wondering what some of you with experience in this area would advise. Is there some type of high protein food source that could be planted to compete with some of the junk vegitation?????? Would going in this winter and trying to mow some of the junk down work? What about planting some clover in the overgrown logging roads?

Again...sorry for rambling...just kinda typing and thinking in frustration I guess.....

Thanks

Edited by - springgobbler on 11/01/2002 15:59:28